Republican Rep. Brenda Barton issued a statement today saying she never compared President Obama to Adolf Hitler. She said her original Facebook reference to “De Fuhrer” referred to the general German term for “leader,” and not the actual official title of Hitler.

Republican Rep. Brenda Barton of Payson compared President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler on her Facebook page today in a post urging county sheriffs to revoke authority from the National Parks Service “thugs” who are enforcing the federal shutdown on national parks lands.

The award for best legislative batting average for the session — the calculation of bills introduced versus bills signed into law — goes to Rep. David Livingston, a freshman Republican lawmaker from Peoria who has been vocally critical of the governor.

A bill headed to Gov. Jan Brewer’s desk would close a loophole used by some Arizona cities to destroy firearms turned over to police and other state agencies. The Arizona Senate approved HB2455, sponsored by Rep. Brenda Barton, R-Payson, by an 18-12 vote Tuesday afternoon, giving its final approval to a measure that also requires agencies to sell all unclaimed firearms in their possession.

L Gray was quietly appointed to the Senate Ethics Committee on Monday to replace Gould, who had recused himself from considering Barton’s complaint against Crandall because Fillmore has endorsed him, and her first act as chair of the committee today was to dismiss it.

Gray said Crandall’s threat to kill Rep. Brenda Barton’s legislation in the Senate Education Committee was fully in line with a Senate rule stating that chairmen have the authority to determine which bills are heard in their committees.